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Help! Tree roots in our water line!

B

BlancoNino

Diamond Member
The people who live across the street from us have 2 giant trees. Apparently their roots have grown so long that they went underneath the street and have grown into our water line. This makes it so that our water line gets backed up and our downstairs toilet overflows if too much water is used at once.

We keep having to call a plumber to come and shove a device into the line via a long hose to chop the roots up...but they keep coming back every few months. He told us that there was nothing we can do and that even though they aren't our roots, they aren't responsible because it's happening in our yard.

What should we do?
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Call the water company. They should take care of it.

And take care of, they'll cut down the tree. 😉
Click to expand...

Well so far from what we've heard, the only thing we're allowed to do is dig up the entire yard at our expense and kill all of the roots that are in our yard only. This would be very very expensive.
 
Dig down between the pipe and the street and cut the roots? You might want to replace the pipe too - surely you're losing water thought it. How did the tree manage to cut through anyway? Crush it? Is it plastic? You could replace it with metal...

 
What about a root wall underground? Most foundation companies can put one of these in for you. Probably around $1000 or so. I would also contact a lawyer about what your legal rights are to have that tree cut down.
 
It's the sewer line, not the water line. Periodically dump a couple of lbs of salt down your drain to kill the roots. I'd ad some concentrated nitrogen based furtilizer to that - it won't help the tree, but it might kill it, at the least, it will ensure the roots are dead.
 
Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Originally posted by: spidey07
Call the water company. They should take care of it.

And take care of, they'll cut down the tree. 😉
Click to expand...

Well so far from what we've heard, the only thing we're allowed to do is dig up the entire yard at our expense and kill all of the roots that are in our yard only. This would be very very expensive.
Click to expand...

hmm must be local laws then.

i remember reading that if the tree roots are damaging your property (fence, water, sewage etc) you can hire someone to come in clean them up. put up a wall and charge the person who ownes the tree.
 
Originally posted by: KMurphy
The easiest thing to do is buy some root killer from a hardware store and and pour it down the bathtub drain. If you use too much, you may kill the tree for good. Use the right amount and it destroys just the root.

http://www.spotfree.net/rootout.html
http://www.rootdoctorusa.com/
Click to expand...

Well if it kills the tree, no big deal, right? Right now, their property is damaging yours, but it's "not their fault." Well if you do something on your property that kills their trees, it's the same thing. Not your fault.
Right?
 
This Old House (TV show) had this problem on their current project. The plumbing that ran out to the street was clay pipe that had roots getting in. I can't remember all of the options but they ended up basically taking a fiberglass "sock" that was cured inside the the existing clay pipe. So in effect they cast in place a new PVC pipe (although it's probably stronger.) They also showed what was required to dig down to the pipe, at least in Boston it looked like a majorly expensive ordeal.
 
Originally posted by: KMurphy
The easiest thing to do is buy some root killer from a hardware store and and pour it down the bathtub drain. If you use too much, you may kill the tree for good. Use the right amount and it destroys just the root.

http://www.spotfree.net/rootout.html
http://www.rootdoctorusa.com/
Click to expand...


Do you guys actually know what the hell you're talking about when you make this suggestion? Oh wait, I forgot, knowledge of subject is not a requirement when replying on ATOT.
 
The problem isn't that the roots have gotten in, it's that the roots might have destroyed the integrity of the pipe.

Rootx can kill smaller roots, but there's a good chance the pipe will collapse anyway.

Try the rootx, but it'll probably cost you $2K+ to fix the problem.
 
The pipe is concrete tile or clay. Roots find and mess up those types of old sewer lines all the time.
I get paid to dig up pipe like that and replace it with PVC. That is the only permanent fix for your problem.
It is possible that the roots are in the city's part of the line. That would make sense by your description of the location. If the problem is in their line, it is theirs to fix.
The only way to determine that is to get one more good roto-rooter job and then have the lines TVed and recorded on a tape. If it measures out to their part of the line, take the tape to them and get them to fix it.
 
Originally posted by: dartworth
dig up the pipe and replace it with PVC...
Click to expand...
Do as dartworth said and replace with DWV ABS or DWV PCV as allow by your local code. The tree problem is not in your jurisdiction and killing it will not stop root blockage in the near future. The problem is that you have crack or broken sewer.

IMHO, your family have to suck it up and excavate the building sewer.

The only way to determine that is to get one more good roto-rooter job and then have the lines TVed and recorded on a tape. If it measures out to their part of the line, take the tape to them and get them to fix it.
Click to expand...
The roto-rooter crew should be able to tell you where the jam is/are by measure the length of cable that they fed into the waste pipe....no need to have an expensive camera on site.
 
Originally posted by: NoShangriLa
Originally posted by: dartworth
dig up the pipe and replace it with PVC...
Click to expand...
Do as dartworth said and replace with DWV ABS or DWV PCV as allow by your local code. The tree problem is not in your jurisdiction and killing it will not stop root blockage in the near future. The problem is that you have crack or broken sewer.

IMHO, your family have to suck it up and excavate the building sewer.

The only way to determine that is to get one more good roto-rooter job and then have the lines TVed and recorded on a tape. If it measures out to their part of the line, take the tape to them and get them to fix it.
Click to expand...
The roto-rooter crew should be able to tell you where the jam is/are by measure the length of cable that they fed into the waste pipe....no need to have an expensive camera on site.
Click to expand...
No offense, but this is my business. If the line is compromised in the city's part of the line, they won't fix it without proof. The say-so of the roto-rooter guy means nothing to them. I'd rooter it and if it measures out in the right of way, then TV it and present your case. That is what we've done many times. We don't have the rooter equipment, but we have the TV and excavation equipment.
 
Dump some root killer (copper sulfate) down the toilet every few months.

And stop making up your own jokes, this is probably just karma punishing you for them.
 
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